Israel's security cabinet instructed IDF to increase readiness for possible Iran strike – but has not convened in a month

Israel’s Security Cabinet instructed the IDF to increase its readiness for the possibility of a strike on Iran, despite not having convened at all over the past month, Kan News revealed on Wednesday evening.

The measures the cabinet instructed the IDF to take could lead to military activity that, to some extent, could result in war. However, the cabinet last met on Oct. 5.

The directive was revealed after Yashar! party chairman Gadi Eisenkot issued a statement calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from unnecessary military actions until the next government is formed.

“Deploying the security forces in the absence of a direct and immediate threat that cannot be delayed could have devastating consequences for Israeli democracy and for citizens’ trust in the institutions of government,” Eisenkot wrote in a letter addressed to Netanyahu.

Eisenkot also appealed to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, asking her to intervene so that he would receive ongoing security updates from the outgoing prime minister, given the absence, from a legal standpoint, of an opposition leader and the fact that Eisenkot has been given the mandate to form the next government.

Responding to Eisenkot’s letter, Netanyahu said: “Eisenkot’s letter is an irresponsible move to publicly discuss sensitive security matters. All decisions made by the government were based solely on security considerations and in full coordination with the security establishment.”